E-Book | Teaching in a Digital Age: Guidelines for designing teaching and learning - 2nd Edition

The book examines the underlying principles that guide effective teaching in an age when all of us, and in particular the students we are teaching, are using technology. A framework for making decisions about your teaching is provided, while understanding that every subject is different, and every instructor has something unique and special to bring to their teaching. The book enables teachers and instructors to help students develop the knowledge and skills they will need in a digital age: not so much the IT skills, but the thinking and attitudes to learning that will bring them success. Book release date (final version): October 10, 2019. For subsequent updates, see Updates and Revisions in the front matter of the book.

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1: Fundamental Change in Education
• Chapter 2: The nature of knowledge and the implications for teaching
• Chapter 3: Methods of teaching: campus-focused
• Chapter 4: Methods of teaching with an online focus
• Chapter 5: MOOCs
• Chapter 6: Building an effective learning environment
• Chapter 7: Understanding technology in education
• Chapter 8: Pedagogical differences between media
• Chapter 9: Choosing and using media in education: the SECTIONS model
• Chapter 10: Modes of delivery
• Chapter 11: Trends in open education
• Chapter 12: Ensuring quality teaching in a digital age
• Chapter 13: Supporting teachers and instructors in a digital age

About the Book

Teachers, instructors and faculty are facing unprecedented change, with often larger classes, more diverse students, demands from government and employers who want more accountability and the development of graduates who are workforce ready, and above all, we are all having to cope with ever changing technology. To handle change of this nature, teachers and instructors need a base of theory and knowledge that will provide a solid foundation for their teaching, no matter what changes or pressures they face.

Although the book contains many practical examples, it is more than a cookbook on how to teach. It addresses the following questions:

• is the nature of knowledge changing, and how do different views on the nature of knowledge result in different approaches to teaching?
• what is the science and research that can best help me in my teaching?
• how do I decide whether my courses should be face-to-face, blended or fully online?
• what strategies work best when teaching in a technology-rich environment?
• what methods of teaching are most effective for blended and online classes?
• how do I make choices among all the available media, whether text, audio, video, computer, or social media, in order to benefit my students and my subject?
• how do I maintain high quality in my teaching in a rapidly changing learning environment while managing my workload?
• what are the real possibilities for teaching and learning using MOOCs, OERS, open textbooks?

In summary, the book examines the underlying principles that guide effective teaching in an age when everyone, and in particular the students we are teaching, are using technology. A framework and a set of guidelines are suggested for making decisions about your teaching, while understanding that every subject is different, and every teacher and instructor has something unique and special to bring to their teaching.

In the end, though, the book isn't really about teachers and instructors, although you are the target group. It's about you helping your students to develop the knowledge and skills they will need in a digital age: not so much digital skills, but the thinking and knowledge that will bring them success. For that to happen, though, your students need you to be on top of your game. This book is your coach.

About the Contributors

Author

A.W. (Tony) Bates graduated from the University of Sheffield, U.K, with a B.A. (Hons.) in psychology in 1962, obtained a post-graduate certificate in education from Goldsmiths College, the University of London, and a Ph.D. in educational administration from the Institute of Education, the University of London.